Naval Terms

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Aback

a term applied to a vessel whose yards are so trimmed that the wind is on their forward side and tending to drive her astern.

Abaft

towards the stern of a ship, relative to some other object or position.

Aboard

on or in a vessel. Close aboard is to be in close proximity to a ship or obstruction.

About

across the wind in relation to the bow of a sailing vessel

Adrift

a term denoting floating at random, as of a boat or swhip broken away from its moorings and tat the mercy of winds and waves

Afloat

the condition of resting buoyantly upon the water, the upward pressure being equal to that of gravity

Aft

at or near the stern or after part of a ship (opposite of fore)

Astern

behind a vessel

Athwart

something which is directly across the line of a ship's course

Awash

the condition when the seas wash over a wreck or shoal, or when a vessel is so low that water is constantly washing aboard in quantities

Away

an order to shove off or to lower a boat or draft of cargo

Aweather

towards the direction of the wind; to windward

Aweigh

the situation of the anchor at the moment it is broken out of the ground. When this situation occurs, the ship is no longer secured to the ground and will drift unless under sail or power.

Ballast

additional weight carried in a ship to give it stability and/or to provide a satisfactory trim

Batten Down

to secure the openings in the decks and sides of a vessel when heavy weather is forecast

Beam

the transverse measurement of a ship at its widest part. It is also a term used in indicating direction in relation to a ship.

Bearing

the direction or point of the compass in which an object is seen, or the direction of one object from another, with reference to (1) the nearest cardinal point of the compass, or (2) true north, measuring clockwise

Beating

working to windward by successive tacks

Becalm

to blanket a sail or vessel by intercepting the wind with other sails or with another vessel

Becalmed

A vessel unable to make progress through the lack of wind

Bend To

to secure a sail to a yard or other spar. Also, to shackle the chain to the anchor.

Binnacle

a wooden box or non-magnetic metallic container for the compass

Boatswain

(pron. bo sun) in the US Navy, a petty officer who supervises the deck force in seamanship duties

Boatswain's Mate

in the US Navy, a petty officer who supervises the deck force in seamanship duties

Bollards

two vertical heards of iron or wood to which mooring lines are made fast

Boom Out a Sail, to

to extend a corner of a sail with a spar

Bow

the foremost end of a ship

Bowditch, Nathaniel (1773-1838)

the author of the American Practical Navigator, the great American epitome of navigtion, known popularly among seafarers as Bowditch. It is published by the US Naval Oceanographic Office

Bowline

(pron bo lin) the line leading forward from the bow chock when a vessel is tied up to a wharf

Bowsprit

(pron. bo sprit) a large spar projecting from the stem of sailing vessels

Boxing the Compass

to name the points (and quarter points) of the compass from north through south to north and return backwards and to be able to answer any question respecting it divisions

Break

a sudden rise or drop in a vessel's deck line

Bridge

an elavated athwartship platform which a vessel is navigated and all activities on deck

Bring To, to

to heave a vessel to the wind

Broadside

the full weight of metal which can be fired simultaneously from all the guns on one side of a warship

Bulkhead

a vertical partition dividing the hull into separate compartments

Bulwark

the planking or woodwork, or steel planting in the case of steel ships, along the sides of a ship above its upper deck to prevent seas washing over the gunwales

By the Head

when a vessel is deeper than her normal draft forward

By the Lee

the situation when a square-rigged vessel running free on one tack is thrown off by a sea or bad steering sufficiently to bring her sails aback on the other tack

By the Stern

when a vessel is deeper than her normal draft at the stern, out of trim by an excess of weight aft

By the Wind

sailing close-hauled

Capstan

a cylindrical barrel fitted in larger ships on the forecastle deck and used for heavy lifting work, particularly when working anchors and cables

Careen

to list; a vessel is hove down by careening her, when in a light trim, by use of tackles to a dock or trees on a river bank for the pupose of cleaning her bottom

Cat o' Nine Tails

an implement of punishment in the old navy. It is consisted of nine cords each with three knots, all lashed to a short heavy piece of rope. To be so punished was to be intruduced to the gunner's daughter

Celo-navigation

the science of findin a ship's position by means of observations of heavenly bodies and the mathematical calculation attending them

Close-hauled

the condition of sailing when a vessel sails as close to the wind as possible with her sails full and drawing

Come To, to

to turn toward the wind

Coxswain

(pron. coxs'n) the helmsman of a ship's boat and the senior member of its crew who has permanent charge of it

Davits

small cranes from which a ship's boats are slung

Dismasted

to lose a mast

Draft

the depth of water a ship draws

Ensign

the flag carried by a ship as insignia of her nationality, usually hoisted on a staff over the railing about her stern

Fall Off, to

to deviate from the course to which the head of a ship was previously directed

Fathom

a nautical measure equal to six feet

Flag Officer

naval officer above rank of captain. So called because the officer is authorized to fly a personal flag

Flagstaff

a pole on which a flag is hoisted and displayed

Forecastle

(pron. fo'c'sul) forward section of weather deck

Freeboard

the distance, measured at the center of the ship, from the waterline to the uppermost complete deck that has permanent means of closing all openings in its weather portions

Gaff

a spar that stands or hoists on the after side of the mast and supports the head of the sail

Gunwale

(pron. gunnul) the upper edge of a vessel's or boat's side

Halliards

the ropes, wires, or tackles used to hoist or lower sails

Hatch

an opening in a ship's deck affording access into the compartment below

Haul, to

to pull (nothing is ever "pulled" aboard ship)

Haul the Wind, to

to bring a sailing vessel nearer to the wind after she has been running before the wind

Heah

toilet facilities

Heave To, to

to operate a sailing ship or powered vessel in such a way as to make no headway (the vessel remains relatively stationary). [syn. "to lie to"]

Heel, to

to lean over to one side, though not permanently

Helm

the steering mechanism of a ship

Hull

the body of a vessel exclusive of masts, yards, sails, rigging, machinery, and equipment

Hull-down

a ship so far distant that only its masts, and/or sails, funnels, etc.., are visibile above the horizon

Hull a Ship, to

to penetrate a vessel's hull with shot

Inboard

towards midships

Jackstaff

flagple at the bow from which the union jack is flown when a ship is not under way

Keel

the main center-line structural member, running fore and aft along the bottom of a ship

Keel-haul

a punishment in which a man was hauled down one side of a vessel under the keel and up the other side

Knot

a measure of speed, not distance, in nautical miles per hour (equivalent to app. 1.1508 statute miles per hour)

Larboard

left (now referred to as "port") side of a ship when looking forward

Larboard (or Port) Tack

the situation of a sailing vessel with her sails trimmmed for a wind which comes voer her larboard (or port side)

Lee

the side of a ship, promontory, or other object away from the wind

Leeward, to

(pron. loo'ard) being stituated, or having a direction, away from the wind

List

the inclining of a ship to one side or the other due usually to a shift in the cargo or the flooding of some part of the hull. It is a longer-term situation than a heel

Magazine

compartment aboard ship or ashore fitted for the stowage of ammo

On the Beam

the direction at right angles to a ship's heading or line of her keel

Outboard

away from a vessel; away from the center fore and aft line

Overhaul

to overtake another vessel

Patent Log

(also, Taffrail Log) a mechanical device used for the pupose of measuring the distance a vessel has sailed

Plimsoll Mark

a figure marked on thesides of cargo carriers indicating the depth to which the vessel can be loaded under given weather and water conditions

Poop

the raised deck and after structure at the stern of a vessel

Press of Sail

said of a vessel which carries an extraordinary spread of canvas for some special purpose such as to avoid stranding, to escape an enemy, etc...

Purchase

general term for any mechanical arrangement of blocks and line for multiplying force

Quarterdeck

ceremonial area of the main deck. In sailing vessels, it is abaft the mainmast. It was from the quarterdeck that the captain or master commanded a sailing vessel

Rake, to

to maneuver a warship so that it can fire down the length of an adversary

Rigging

all the rope, chain, metalwork, and associated fittings used to support and operate the masts, spars, flags, sails, booms, and derricks of sailing vessels, and the masts, booms, and derricks of powered vessels

Rudder

a flat vertical surface astern by which a ship or boat may be steered

Scuppers

draining holes cut through the bulwarks to allow any water on deck to drain away down the ship's side

Sheave

(pron. shiv) the revolving wheel (or pulley) in a block

Shoal

a patch of water in the sea with a depth less than that of the surrounding water

Spanker

the fore and aft sail set from the after mast of a sailing vessel

Spars

a term applied to all masts, yards, gaffs, booms, etc.

Starboard

right side of a ship when looking forward

Starboard Tack

the situation of a sailing vessel with her sails trimmed for wind which comes over her starboard side

Steerage Way

to have sufficient headway for the rudder to grip the water so that a vessel will answer to her helm

Stem

the foremost timber or steel member forming the bow of a vessel

Stern

the after end of a vessel

Strake

line of planks or plates running the length of a vessel

Superstructure

all construction above the main deck of a ship

Tack, to

the operation of brining a sailing vessel's head to wind and across it so as to bring the wind on the opposite side of the vessel

Tackle

(pron. takle) name used for a purchase after a line has been rove through the sheaves and the standing part has been made fast to one of the blocks. Essentially synonymous with "purchase" in everyday usage

Taffrail

the upper part of a ship's stern

Tiller

lever that turns the rudder on a boat. Synonymous with "helm" in a larger vessel

Van

the forward part or group of a formation of ships

Waterline

the line indicated along the side of a vessel by the plane of the surface of the water

Weather

towards the point from which the wind blows

Weather Deck

an uncovered deck exposed to the weather

Weather Gage

the advantage of the wind. It refers to the position of a ship under sail when she is windward of another ship